Thursday, June 12, 2014

I am happy to announce that I have been selected to serve as the assistant principal at North Park Elementary School in Radcliff, Kentucky!! “North Park's student population is comprised of preschool and kindergarten children from four elementary schools: Meadow View, Radcliff, Vine Grove, and Woodland located in the north end of Hardin County. North Park is the first Preschool/Kindergarten center of its kind in Hardin County. Their focus has been on teaching the Common Core Standards utilizing Thoughtful Education strategies, Math Solutions, the Literacy First process, Early Numeracy Strategies, PBIS, and MAP data analysis. North Park E.S. strives to meet the needs of all students through the use of flexible small grouping, differentiated instruction, MAP assessment, high-order questioning and engagement strategies. They have worked hard to develop quality rigorous instruction to prepare students for a successful transition to elementary school and a strong foundation needed for life.” Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP), North Park Elementary School 2013-2014

I was an educator before I became an administrator. I went into teaching because I have something built into me that enjoys seeing others succeed. Being an administrator is like being a teacher. I nourish, enrich, guide, and support teachers. I help teachers become better. Just as my students grew and I was ecstatic when they finally understood a concept, teachers grow under an effective administrator’s supervision. As an administrator, I visit classrooms regularly, provide feedback for teachers, introduce initiatives, stimulate teachers, create a culture of high expectations and caring, and facilitate shared decision-making. With guidance, lessons become more organized, instructional strategies more dynamic, and students more engaged. Being an administrator requires many skills. It takes organization, flexibility, and endurance. It takes knowledge, people skills, and vision. Being an administrator requires lots of decision-making skills. But most of all, it takes a strong desire to make a difference. I am an educator first and an administrator second. There's something energizing about being part of a community, knowing the parents and the children, and realizing that your connections count. I spent many years building my repertoire as a teacher, mentor, and leader. Being an administrator is a great place to wrap all of those talents together. It is the most difficult job I have ever enjoyed doing!

As an educator and administrator in Las Vegas, Nevada, I have extensive experience in identifying challenges related to student achievement, and developing plans to improve results through staff development and data collection. This experience has prepared me to welcome the challenge of continuing a site’s academic achievement and growth. I can’t wait to support North Park Elementary School to further promote their positive school culture, student growth, and achievement. The mission of North Park Elementary is to provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment in which students form a foundation for life-long learning. Together we will nurture the potential in every student. I have been working hard for this moment. I love Kentucky and all that is has to offer. I can’t wait to serve the students of Hardin County!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Finding a job in Kentucky has been a learning process. Kentucky has 174 public school districts, and a total of 1,200+ public schools. I have applied for principal, assistant principal, and teaching positions. Of the 20+ applications that I have submitted to various counties, I have had four interviews. Two interviews were for principal positions and two for assistant principal.

Principal positions started posting in
January. While I’ve only had a year and a half of administrative experience, I
did not want to miss an opportunity. The selection for principal positions utilizes
a democratic process that requires the SBDM (School-Based Decision Making)
Council to vote and decide. Membership of the council consists of parents, teachers,
and an administrator. The superintendent screens the applicants by reviewing
their applications and conducting interviews. He or she then narrows down the
pool and presents them to the SBDM Council. I admire Kentucky’s
stance on education, as they firmly believe that “making decisions through
shared decision-making results in a greater commitment to implementing
decisions that will enhance the achievement of students.”

My first interview was a conference call
while still in Vegas. And, let me tell you, I do not prefer phone interviews. I
think part of your personality is lost and my nerves were even more heightened
than normal. As a follow-up to the phone interview, I was given a performance event.
This consisted of four questions that required detailed action plans in an
essay-response. Questions ranged from analyzing benchmark data and identifying
ways to coach teachers (individually and in grade level teams) in reading
and in math to ensure the state goal is met. I was also asked to look at
benchmark data and identify three school-wide strategies that I would implement
to ensure the school reaches the state goal. Next, I had to explain how I would
begin to establish a culture of excellence. And, in one sentence, tell why I
was the best instructional leader for the school.

The second
principal interview was a group interview with a school board, along with four other candidates. We took turns
answering a question posed by the board, each having an opportunity to answer a
question first. We built off of each other’s answers. Going last meant that you
either had a lot of time to take notes or your ideas had already been
expressed. Questions ranged from providing examples of appropriate
instructional practices, how to create a culture of academic excellence,
sharing strategies for teachers who repeatedly sent students to the office for
minor disciplinary issues, and how to keep focus on doing what is best for
improving student achievement. The group interview was followed up by a performance
event (essay), asking me to share my primary vision and first priority as
principal. I was asked to return for the second phase of interviewing, but the
commute would have been two hours one way. I sadly declined. As an
administrator, I couldn't spare four hours of my day commuting.

In April, assistant principal positions started
posting. My first interview was with an assistant superintendent. She said she
was very impressed, but informed me that the decision for hiring assistant
principals is up to the principal. The next assistant principal interview consisted
of a round table of 10+ professionals from that site, ranging from classroom
teachers, speech/language pathologists, special education personnel, and the
administrator. Questions included handling difficult parents, academic
interventions, PBIS (positive behavioral intervention supports), experience
with early childhood education, instructional strategies, and my approach to
handling ineffective teachers.

The process for applying requires patience, tenacity, and faith. Some counties utilize applicant-tracking hardware. These programs take
the paper out of the process by storing your application,
resume, transcripts, and certificates. Many times you can transfer your
electronic application and materials to another county if they use the same
system. Other counties still
rely on paper applications. Administrative interviews require a lot of
preparation. You must research and study. You need to know how to put
your ideas and experiences into words. You have to have a plan. It has been a slow and sometimes
discouraging process. But, it has really made me reflect on my vision for a
school and the action steps necessary for student success. While I can’t say
too much now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Stay tuned.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Have you ever met someone that motivates and inspires you?
Someone who stays positive and keeps going when things get rough? Many times in
our lives we are surrounded by negative people with lackadaisical attitudes. They
lack hope. They have forgotten how to dream. It is not often that we find a person
who shows us that a dream is more than just wishful
thinking. His or her goodness and courage makes our doubts and worries seem
small, causing us to reflect on our own weakness. I will be the first
to admit that when faced with challenges, it is hard to find the motivation to focus on the positive. Even when everything is good, my mind turns towards
worry and pessimism. But, my husband has taught me that worry is a misuse of my imagination. I have watched him triumph over life’s struggles
again and again. The other day he said to me, “I don’t
have much left, but I have will, hope, and desire.”

In hearing my husband dream about wanting to move to the
country, it was very easy for me to shoot down his ideas. At times I found
myself dismissing them or not truly listening. Many times I would catch myself stealing
his hope. He would come at me with such detail and eagerness: “I can’t wait to
live in the country. I want horses and chickens. I can’t wait to fish and hunt
on my own property. I want lots of land where I can build a legacy for my
children and grandchildren. I can’t wait!” My mind always turned to how much I
had to do for school the next day. How would we sell our under-water home? How
could I leave my job? How could his back possibly handle all that work?

Since arriving in Kentucky, I’ve watched a number of
movies about horses. I recently watched Seabiscuit. I was moved by the theme. It’s
about a horse who, against the odds, shows his winning
abilities and captures the imagination of all those wanting to believe in a
dream. While the horse came from noted lineage, he was deemed hopeless. He was
mistreated and written off due to numerous injuries. It wasn’t until someone
believed in him that he rose from troubled times to achieve success. One
of my favorite lines from the movie captures it all: “You don’t throw a whole
life away just ‘cause it’s banged up a little bit.”

Within a month's time, I have watched James accomplish and fulfill many of his dreams. I am blessed to have this remarkable man in my life. He has taught me to
stay positive and keep dreaming. Doubt, pessimism, and adversity will
undermine even the strongest of wills. He has taught me that hope is all
we have. I pray that you have someone in your life that inspires you and fills
you with hope.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

My
husband and I were born and raised in Nevada. I was a city girl who grew up in
Las Vegas. James was a country boy who lived on a ranch in Henderson. I loved to
listen to the stories of his childhood as he told me about his horses,
chickens, and goats. We dreamed about owning our own property one day. For the
past decade, we researched locations, looking at places all over the country.
But, dreaming was all we did. Raising kids, career, surgeries and life just got
in the way.

James
has an extensive history of back surgery. He has five levels fused in the
lumbar region of his back. He is in excruciating pain everyday. It killed me to
watch him sit around in a stucco house, on less than a 1/6 of an acre in a hot,
arid desert, watching TV, and waiting for me to come home from work. I knew
that I needed to provide him with a better quality of life. I knew that I needed
to get him to a place where he could reconnect with his childhood and heal his
soul…a place where he could keep moving and have purpose. He yearned for land
and horses.

During
the summer of 2013, we took a road trip to Kentucky. I wanted James to see more
of the United States. And, if he loved horses, we were going to visit the horse
capital of the world…Kentucky! We fell in love with Kentucky and knew it was our
future home.

I spent
the last decade building my career as an educator and administrator, creating a
home for James and his children. Now that they are grown and I have established
my career, it is time for James. James has devoted his life to us, making sure
that we are set in our own careers. He never waivers. Never complains. That was
why I was willing to uproot my home, career, and family. I resigned from my job
as an assistant principal in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 28, 2014. We arrived
in Kentucky in April 2014. It has been quite an adventure!! Stay tuned for more
posts on what we’ve been up to here in Kentucky.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Thursday, September 5, 2013

This download offers Harcourt Trophies "Here and There" Basal III supplemental activities for guided reading groups and centers. You will find supplements that correlate with the rigor of Common Core Standards for Harcourt Trophies Basal 1-3, which includes the stories: I Am a Butterfly, Did You See Chip?, Tomas Rivera, On the Way to the Pond, Friends Forever, and The Fox and the Stork. Materials can be used in a writing center, reading center, phonics center, pocket chart center, game center, & art center.

Each story has customized:

-Teacher Talk cards

-Focus Skill graphic organizers

-Writing Prompts

-5 in a Row: Word Fluency Game

-Reading Tic-Tac-Toe Game

-Scrambled Sentence activity

-Pocket Chart materials

Also included:*Bonus writing templates, graphic organizers, and flip books that can be used interchangeably with each of the basal stories.**Directions, Harcourt Trophies Focus Skill outline, and Common Core Standards List.

Search The Factory

About Me

Alicia Lochridge

My name is Alicia Lochridge. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I worked for the Clark County School District (CCSD) in Las Vegas, NV from 2003-2014. During this time, I taught third, second, and first grade; in addition to serving as an assistant principal for grades K-5. For the past year, I have served as the assistant principal for North Park Elementary School in Radcliff, Kentucky. As an educator and administrator, I aspire to exemplify excellence and promote positive standards to enhance the education of ALL students.